Did Nancy Tyagi lie about designing her Cannes 2025 outfit? Neha Bhasin thinks so: All the plagiarism drama explained

Dubai: Last year, she was the breakout darling of Cannes—India’s homegrown fashion Cinderella who stitched her way onto the world stage. But this year? Nancy Tyagi is back on red carpet, and back in the headlines—but for all the wrong reasons.

The influencer, who won hearts in 2024 with her self-made gown, returned to Cannes 2025 in a beige, shimmering number featuring a dramatic cape and a party-ready corset dress. She proudly claimed it took her a month to create the look—stitched lovingly in her mom’s favourite colour.

But this year’s fairytale came with a plot twist—and a plagiarism plotline.

“This corset looks too familiar, hmmmm…”
That’s the cryptic Instagram Story singer Neha Bhasin posted, alongside a photo of herself wearing what looked like the exact same corset Nancy wore—only Bhasin had rocked it much earlier. And just like that, the internet went from applauding the dress to questioning the designer.

Bhasin went one step further and tagged The Source Bombay, a Bandra-based fashion store, as the original creator. Cue the couture chaos.

The designer speaks out
Surbhi Gupta, founder of The Source Bombay, confirmed to Free Press Journal that Nancy had, in fact, purchased the corset dress from their store. “She didn’t collaborate with us or design it. She bought it, so of course she can wear it,” Gupta said. “But she didn’t stitch it, like she’s claiming. That part isn’t true.”

Gupta did point out that the dramatic cape Nancy paired with the outfit wasn’t from their collection, adding, “That seems to be something she made herself.”

When the only claim to fame is questioned
Let’s call it what it is: Nancy’s rise was built on one very specific promise—that she designs and stitches her own looks. That narrative is powerful, especially in a sea of influencers dressed head-to-toe in gifted or borrowed fashion.

But what happens when that story starts to fray? Is the pressure to remain relevant on the global stage so intense that you'd rather embellish—or outright fabricate—your origin story?

In an era where virality is currency and every Cannes appearance is a potential career move, the temptation to "curate the truth" is very real. The influencer economy rewards spectacle. Authenticity, while championed on the surface, is often overshadowed by aesthetics and applause.

Still, the look was a moment
Controversy aside, Nancy’s ensemble was visually striking. The silver-beige palette, the cape drama, the sparkle—it all delivered red carpet-worthy glam. But when your signature is self-made and the seams don’t match the story, even the best stitching can’t patch the credibility gap.

Because in fashion—and in fame—it’s not just about what you wear. It’s about what you own. And in this case, the story behind the dress may matter more than the dress itself.